There are many reasons to give up tobacco. And while everyone has their own personal motivations, here are a few positive things to keep in mind as you think about your journey into a tobacco-free life.

You’ll be saving money.If you smoke a pack a day, for every two days you are smoke-free, you save $15! You could buy some music, a book or see a movie. If you put that money in the bank, you’ll save about $200 in one month, or $2,400 in one year. Think about what you could buy with that money.

You’ll get healthy from the inside out.Just as it’s difficult to see that smoking damages the inside of your body, it’s also difficult to see the good things happening when you quit. But your body starts recovering just three days after smoking your last cigarette. Your lungs get healthier and your risk of cancer drops.

You’ll have more energy.You should feel more energetic because your lungs are working better. You’ll no longer be filling your blood with carbon monoxide. Your heart won’t be pumping as hard to keep your muscles supplied with oxygen-rich blood. Activities such as taking a walk, playing with your children or working in the yard should feel easier.

Your sense of taste and smell will awaken.Within days of quitting, your sense of taste and smell improve. You’ll find that food tastes better and that you use less salt because you enjoy the natural taste of what you’re eating. You may find yourself taking longer to eat as you spend more time savoring the tastes and smells.

You won’t worry as much about smoking-related illness and early death.Tobacco-related illnesses, such as emphysema and lung cancer, are painful and progress slowly. Not to mention the agony loved ones experience when dealing with someone’s fatal disease. And after 10 years of being tobacco-free, your risk of having a heart attack is the same as a person who never smoked and your risk of developing lung cancer is cut in half.

You won’t have to stand outside in the cold anymore.You’ve probably stood outside in the rain, wind, snow and even sub-zero temperatures to smoke (this is Minnesota after all). After you quit, your days of huddling out in nasty weather to have a quick smoke will be over.

You'll have a reason to celebrate.Everyone likes a good party, and why not celebrate quitting tobacco? Throw an anniversary party for your week, month, year or any anniversary of your quit date. This lets you reintroduce social events into your life without risking a relapse. After all, you wouldn’t light up at your “I quit tobacco” celebration, would you?

Your insurance is likely to cost you less.Most health insurance, life insurance and homeowners’ insurance policies cost more for smokers than for nonsmokers. Once you can begin checking the ‘nonsmoker’ box on those policies, you are likely to be charged less for the same coverage.

You'll become the center of attention.There’s a good chance your friends, family and coworkers will notice quite a difference when you quit. Perhaps that you smell better or that your skin looks better? More energy? Often we don’t notice such differences ourselves until others point out the positive changes they see in us.

Your sense of accomplishment.People get a profound sense of accomplishment when they quit tobacco, especially those who say that quitting was one of the hardest things they’ve ever done. The smile on your face is your well-earned pride showing through.

If you’re ready to finally put tobacco in your past, check out all the free tools that QUITPLAN® Services has to help you! Or if you just want to learn about some ways to get started on your own, go to our ‘How to Quit’ section below. Either way, you’re about to make the best decision of your life!